


Not our day

by tsurakutemo



Category: One Direction (Band), Radio 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Assassins & Hitmen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-12
Updated: 2014-05-12
Packaged: 2018-01-24 11:49:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1604075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsurakutemo/pseuds/tsurakutemo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's like out of a bad movie, if he thinks about it. The villain driving wildly through the streets of down town New York with the hero and/or the cops following, avoiding other cars and driving in the wrong lane.</p><p>Except this isn't New York, they're not driving fast and wild, and Nick likes to think himself the hero in this situation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not our day

**Author's Note:**

> I was listening to Imagine Dragons too much last night so this AU happened.
> 
> As a quick FYI; Nick isn't in radio in this, and Harry's not a popstar, but he is the son of an important man.

Nick curses the day he decided getting to know his next hit would be a good idea. In the weeks since Harry first opened his mouth to say hello, Nick has been shot at several times, been in more car chases than ever before, and had to jump from one building to another, to name a few things. He has generally lived a more reckless life than he has ever done in the previous years working in this field, and that says a lot.

He's not sure who is after them now – his boss' people, his so-called co-workers, or the police, but it doesn't matter. They have to get away either way, and he needs to figure out which way of escape will get them furthest and fastest from harm. He's got friends in a lot of places who _might_ help him out, and he needs to suss out who'll rattle from the rest as they go.

Harry's in the seat next to him, a white-knuckled grip on the seat on either side of his thighs, thankfully looking less and less pale for each twist and turn Nick makes, for each meter he puts between them and whoever is behind them.

It's like out of a bad movie, if he thinks about it. The villain driving wildly through the streets of down town New York with the hero and/or the cops following, avoiding other cars and driving in the wrong lane.

Except this isn't New York, they're not driving fast and wild, and Nick likes to think himself the hero in this situation.

It's also not a movie, even though he desperately wishes it was.

Harry turns his head to look behind them, and Nick reaches with one hand to push his head back around to face the front.

“Stop it,” he snaps, fear turning his voice harder than he means to. Better that than showing Harry he's scared, he decides. Harry worries enough for the both of them, and Nick doesn't need to add to it. “Don't make it easier for them to figure out which one's us. They'll know if they see someone constantly checking behind them.”

He doesn't know where they are, their enemies. If they're even close enough to see into their car. He hopes not. Either they're just behind them, or they've fallen a couple of cars behind, keeping a safe distance. Nick hopes it's the latter, wants to get them out of the city as unseen as possible. Maybe they can go up North, find somewhere else, small and unheard of. A place where they can't be found until long after they've disappeared yet again.

The silence stretches over several minutes, but finally Harry speaks.

“I'm sorry.” he says, and he sounds like he means it – sounds like he's near tears, really.

Nick looks over, and Harry's looking ahead, his eyes blank. Oh no. Nick silently pleads with him not to cry. He's awful at handling people who cry.

“It's not your fault,” he tries to comfort. He can tell he sounds completely insincere, because he does sort of blame Harry, even though that's unfair.

Harry snorts. “I fell in love with you when you were supposed to kill me.” He sounds only a little bitter.

Nick does his best not to roll his eyes.

“That doesn't mean I couldn't have killed you anyway.” he says. “Could have shot you right in that bakery, couldn't I? You know I had my gun with me.”

He sighs and checks the rear view mirror. No sign of the familiar black car.

“I fell in love with you too, didn't I? Like out of a movie, all of it.”

It brings a small smile out of Harry, and Nick feels strangely pleased when he notices. They're both silent as he changes lanes and heads towards the exit, and it gives him time to think. He wonders what will happen from here. He's always said he'll never, ever let anything spoil his job. Certainly not falling for anyone. Yet here he is.

He knew well that he risked everything, including his life, when he told his bosses he couldn't kill Harry. He just hadn't thought about the fact that they would send someone _else_ to do the job, and when he had realised he knew he had to get Harry out of there.

 _Love_. The thought was one of disdain, once upon a time, but he's fallen hard and fast, Harry's done the same, and they're both paying for it. The least he can do is get Harry to safety. If they get Nick after Harry's disappeared from their radar then he can count this a success. He's getting too old for running around and shooting people anyway, he's not James Bond by any means.

He wonders what will happen to his friends now, because he's had a life outside his job. People he's fond of, people he likes and who like him. He has been careful not to say anything about them to his bosses, but they probably know anyway, probably have had him watched ever since he started seeing Harry. Telling them it was for the job was a moot point, he knew that from the start. He just hopes no one else pays for it. He wonders if maybe the bosses have had him watched outside the job ever since he started out. It's likely, and something he's thought about before, and the thought still makes him feel a little sick.

And as though that isn't enough, Harry's father found out people are out to kill his son and got the police involved, and they've been around too, shadowing Harry to “keep him safe”, been suspicious of Nick and getting in his way. It's understandable, of course. If Harry was Nick's son he would do the same, but it's annoying, now that he's not the one out trying to kill anybody.

He will, though. Kill someone. He'll do it for Harry in a heartbeat.

And that scares him.

“Will we be safe wherever we're going?” Harry asks, and it brings Nick out of his thoughts. He focuses on the road for a long while, thinking about his answer.

“We'll see when we get there.” he says at last, deciding to be truthful. “Maybe, maybe not.”

“Maybe we can head out of country?” Harry sounds wistful. “Head somewhere warm, get new identities, pretend like nothing.”

Nick snorts.

“You've been watching too many films.” he says. “Nobody does that in real life.”

“What do we do then?” Harry asks, and the look he gives Nick is earnest, hopeful, worried and expectant all at the same time. Nick didn't know anyone could show that many emotions at the same time before he met Harry.

“I don't know.” he answers. “We drive until we can't anymore and then we go from there.”

Harry nods, and after a long while he speaks again.

“You'll have to teach me how to shoot.” He sounds determined. “How to kill somebody.”

Nick doesn't answer.

“You know other ways to kill somebody than that, too,” Harry continues like he knows, like he's seen him do it. Nick wants to shake him, a little. Tell him he doesn't, that he won't show Harry anything because Harry doesn't need to learn, even though he does. “I know you do. You'll have to teach me those too. If you're going to protect me, I need to be able to do the same for you. If you get injured–”

He cuts himself off and looks out the side window, at the passing cars and the sun setting in the distance. Nick glances at him for only a moment and thinks of how he's ruined Harry's life and how Harry has ruined his. He's angry, somewhere deep down, but he doesn't dwell on it. Won't yell at Harry now, not when they're still in the danger zone.

He thinks about Harry's suggestions instead. Moving to a warm place, settling down and getting new identities. It doesn't sound too bad. God knows he's done enough to deserve it. Maybe they could go to Ibiza for a while, party while he still feels young, Harry next to him, sweaty skin against sweaty skin. They can forget about London, forget about England, think only about drinking and fucking. It sounds tempting.

Harry's other suggestion is less so. He doesn't want Harry to kill anyone, certainly not for his sake. But it's a necessity, should Nick be out of commission, and Harry's right. He needs to be capable of knocking someone out at the least so they can make a quick escape should the need arise.

But that's for later.

For now he thinks of where to go, where to make their first stop and what they need to get. They both packed in a hurry, and they don't have half the things they really need.

“Go to sleep,” he tells Harry. “I'll wake you when we stop.”

Harry looks at him, dubious. “Are you sure?”

“Of course I'm sure. What, do you think I'll kill you now after all this trouble?”

Harry shakes his head. “No,” he says. “But I don't want to sleep if we're still being followed.”

Nick looks in the mirror again, scans the road behind them. There are a lot of cars, but none look like the one that had followed them.

“If they are they're getting too far behind for them to find us any time soon,” Nick answers. “Besides, I have a plan. Don't worry your pretty head too much about it. Sleep.”

Harry hesitates for another long while, but finally curls up as much as he can in the seat and leans his head against the window.  
“Wake me if you need me to drive.” he murmurs, voice already slurring.

Nick waits until he's sure Harry's fallen asleep, before leaning back in his seat, letting tension bleed out of his aching shoulders. He checks again, doesn't see a familiar car, and tries to relax for a little while.

It's going to be a long night, but Nick's nothing if not used to all-nighters. He drives and he plans, and darkness falls around them. Harry sleeps on, and Nick reaches out with his free hand and presses it to Harry's nape, running his hand through the hair at the base of his neck.

He's still scared for the both of them, knows it's going to be a long, hard while until they're okay, knows it's not even certain both or either of them will make it, but none of it matters right now.

They're okay in this moment, and that's what's important. They'll figure out the rest of it as they go.

**Author's Note:**

> So, this AU is probably super clichè, which is why I'm very tentative about doing anything more with it. I've started writing both what happens before and after this scene, however, so I'll probably end up writing more even though it'll be a slow going.


End file.
